Measurements of high-energy deuterons in the plasma-focus device

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.325045· OSTI ID:5074382

Gullickson, R L; Sahlin, H L

Nuclear activation techniques have been used to measure the fluence of high-energy deuterons in a plasma-focus device. Substantial activation of carbon and aluminum targets was observed on most shots where the deuterium pressure was less than 3 Torr. Carbon activation indicates more than 10/sup 15/ deuterons above 330 keV on some high-intensity shots. These deuterons are strongly forward directed with 0/sup 0/ to 90/sup 0/ ratios exceeding 10/sup 4/ on high-yield shots. Ratios of /sup 13/N to /sup 28/Al, foil-stack activation measurements, and neutron time of flight all consistently show some deuterons have energies above 2 MeV. Measured /sup 13/N//sup 28/Al ratios also indicate more than 10/sup 12/ deuterons of energy greater than 5 MeV, but this result has not been verified by an independent threshold-activation measurement. These measurements illustrate that the plasma-focus device can be operated in two distinctly different modes, with low-pressure operation resulting in the acceleration of ions and electrons to many times the capacitor-bank charging voltage. Most of the neutron emission in low-pressure operation may come from beam-target reactions.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, California 94550
• OSTI ID: 5074382
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 49:3; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700106* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Plasma Production-- (-1987)
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ALUMINIUM
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
CARBON
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DEUTERONS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
ENERGY SPECTRA
FOILS
METALS
NEUTRON EMISSION
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTION ANALYSIS
OPEN PLASMA DEVICES
OPERATION
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA FOCUS DEVICES
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
SENSITIVITY
SPECTRA
THERMONUCLEAR DEVICES
TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD